It Is Time

[Queen Susan the Gentle]

Susan woke many hours later and looked to see her husband sleeping beside her. She brushed her fingers over his hair and kissed the hand that still held hers. The instant she looked away her thoughs wandered to her son. Though the moon had risen high above them there was still a servant in the room and she told her to bring the baby to her. She had always felt strange ordering servants around, but she couldn't very well leave. The girl left and returned and Galen was given to her. The boy was asleep, as he should have been, but after a while woke only to cry. It did not take her long to find the source of the newborn's tears, the growing pain gave him the answer easily. He had not been properly fed yet. She shifted his blankets before letting him drink and then let herself drift back into sleep as he did, never leting go of Caspian the entire time.

[King Caspian X]

Caspian woke up and leaned over to kiss his wife, moaning slightly as he moved his hand. It felt heavy to him. The man turned his head to look, only to see his arm wrapped in a cast past his elbow. That was alright. At least it felt a little better. He stroked Susan's sleeping face and then little Galen's. Caspian rolled onto his side, taking the girl's hand again. He watched her sleep, observing the bandages that had been wrapped around her. That lion really had gotten her good. He frowned. Why did Susan have to suffer so much? Her entire day, from morning to night, had been only pain. It was Caspian's fault. Maybe I should just surrender the throne... he thought to himself. But he knew that that wouldn't do him any good. Lamont would surely come after them, and power in the wrong hands was never a good thing to have running around the lands. But what else could Caspian do to protect his family? Three were already dead. The two other children, and Lucy. Maybe we should go into hiding. Caspian considered the thought. They could come back every so often -in secret, to check on Narnia and rule for a short period of time, before retreating back into hiding again. Of course, a few trusted people would know. No, that wasn't wise either. Only chaos could be spelled without a King and Queen. Caspian sighed. Something had to be done. He had to do something...

The door opened, and a man stepped inside. Caspian instincively reached down to his waist, but of course, he was still in last night's pajamas and unarmed. "Who walks by the door?" he asked, his voice a mere whisper, not wanting to wake the baby.

Susan's father stepped into the candle light by Caspian and Susan's bedside. "I do." he said. "I've come to see my daughter and grandbaby." His hand went towards Susan's shoulder, but Caspian stopped him.

"Don't touch her there." He warned, pointing to the bandage. "Let me wake her." Caspian rubbed her hand with his thumb softly, just hard enough to perhaps rouse her from her sleep. "Susan," he said. "You have a visitor."

[Queen Susan the Gentle]

Caspian stirred under his touch, but wanted to rest. For once her mind held no horrible images for her that night, but it held none at all. Still, it was a rare comfort in the restless days. But after a moment she let herself wake. In the darkness, with only the thin moon as her light, she could see the reflection in Caspian and the visitor's eyes, but not tell who they belonged to. She drew the child close as the tried to sit up. A short wave of dizziness passed over her, but soon faded away. "Who comes?" She asked with a voice still tainted with weakness.

[King Caspian X]

Caspian nudged the candle a little closer to the edge of the table so that Susan could see the man whom sat on the edge of her bed. "Your father." the King answered. "He wanted to see you and the baby."

"Hey, little Su." her father said, kissing his daughter's forehead and then his grandson's. He was smiling, even though tears were in his eyes. "How are you feeling?" he asked her.

[Queen Susan the Gentle]

"Tired," she answered truthfuly, "My sides hurt and I think I'm hungry, but it can wait." For the first time since she left the castle she had thought about food. she hadn't eaten the night before and the hunger growled at her insides, barely quiet enough that the others wouldn't notice. "It took such a long time and
I thought I would break, but it's done and we're all safe now. The monster's hurt and Lamont's gone to take care of him so we should be left alone for a while I think."

[King Caspian X]

The father stroked Susan's hair gently, like Caspian often did. Then the soldier reached out to his grandson. "Can I hold... him?" he asked, grinning. It was clear to anyone that the grandfather was proud of both of the children, Susan and Galen, and his eyes shown with everlasting love for each of them. Caspian just watched and listened, laying there quietly, still holding Susan's hand. He was smiling, too. He was happy that Susan's father aproved of their son, after so many months of being silent.

[Queen Susan the Gentle]

Relunctant to give him up she eventauly gave the boy to him. After being betrayed by Caspian's father so easily she wasn't ready to believe that another father had returned from beyond the grave. But he had known about Aslan, something he couldn't have done without actualy seeing him. If they were to have told him, as children, the thought would be ignored as child's play. But he had seen Aslan, the one who gave him life, and she would trust, no matter how hard it would be. "His name is Galen," She told him. "It means calm and peace." The life I long to have. She added the last part silently as she watched her father intently.

[King Caspian X]

The man hugged the boy, not too tight as to hurt him though. Then he cradled him, looking down at Galen's face, still beaming. "He's beautiful." said the grandfather, rocking him gently. "I just can't believe it..." his voice was quiet. Caspian wobbled out of bed to sit next to Susan, still slightly drunk. At least his arm didn't hurt as badly though. He put his good arm around her, careful not to touch any of her bandages. The man stayed silent, just watching and enjoying the fact that everybody could just be a family for once.

[Queen Susan the Gentle]

Susan laughed a bit, "He's a boy so that makes him handsom." She teased her father. She leaned closer to Caspian when he came to her. It was a good feeling, to have her family all so close to her, her children, her husband, her father. But never again could her sister join them. Her thoughts dwelled on her for a moment. Did he know of her own daughter's murder. News travled fast through Narnia, espessialy with the trees playing messenger and whisper. It was very possible that he had heard through one of them. But if he had he had chosen to ignore the death and focus on the life of the next generation of his family.

[King Caspian X]

Caspian kissed the top of her head as she scooted closer to him. He could almost tell what she was thinking, but said nothing. He knew the feeling of losing someone you loved. Once they were dead, there was nothing anyone could say that would cheer you up. But the new life that lay curled up inside the bundle of blankets could thankfully at least take their minds off of it for a little while. It wasn't healthy to be sad all of the time. Caspian could remember not eating for days, and one of the women that watched over him had to force him to swallow whatever she shoved in his mouth.

Now it was the grandfather's turn to watch after he reluctantly handed the child back to Susan and Caspian. He just sat there, observing them, as Caspian had done minutes ago. "You two really are in love." he commented. Caspian was relieved to see that the man was smiling about it, rather than being negitive. "You remind me of your mother and myself seventeen years ago. I can't believe it's been that long." the man chuckled as he said the last sentence. "It seems like you should still be sitting on my lap and telling me everything that you were going to ask Santa for. But you've grown into a fine young woman now." he told Susan.

[Queen Susan the Gentle]

"I never actualy believed in Santa," She said foolishly, "I thought he was just a childish game and that I was waisting my time. I still told you what I wanted because I knew that if you knew it would come." Of course Narnia had changed those thoughts years ago, but the childhood embarasment remained. The child in her arms flailed his limbs for a moment before she wrapped his cloth around them, comfortingly forcing them to stop. She looked into his face longing for his eyes to open. When they did there was no limit to the things they could do together as a family. But for now she knew all that was to come was feeding, cleaning, and crying. It would be hard and it would never be a method that could be perfected. But somehow, by some mirical, they would rase him well. And when the time came he would be a kind and just king to all of Narnia, the swiftest and strongest of swordsmen, and still the brighest and wisest of scolars. She marvled at the thought of what she would let her child become as she kissed his head.

[King Caspian X]

"Oh, no. You believed in Santa for quite a long time." said her father. He got a grin on his face like he wanted to tickle her like he did when she was six years old, but thought better of it when he saw the bandages again. "What happened?" He finally asked, pointing to the soft white cloth that had been wrapped around her long wounds from the claws and fangs of the chimera.

Caspian snuggled his family in his one arm, cursing the shapeshifter in his head for doing this to him. He wouldn't be able to hug them like he used to for a few weeks or months, whenever it be that he could take his arm out of the sling.

[Lennia Silverwind]

Len reached the castle and handed the baby to a servant who gave the child to Susan. She slept in her room that night. She was up early and decided to check up on the mother. She reached the door and noticed it was slightly open. Knocking softly she walked in. "I'm not interrupting anything?" She asked in a hushed tone. "I wanted to make sure Susan and the child were alright"

[Queen Susan the Gentle]

She blinked back tears as he asked. You live by your own code, The voice reminded her, If they ask you must tell, But he hadn't said anything about Lucy. She didn't know why but her body and mind hated the thought of telling him of her death. Perhaps Caspian would do it. He was there, he saw her body, he saw her cry over her, he knew how much it hurt her to think of it. Praying to Aslan to keep her voice steady she spoke, "After the baby was born Caspian's father came and met us in the forest. He laughed at us, and told us who he realy was: a demon. I couldn't hold myself back and attacked him, but that was after he bid Caspian's arm. I wanted to kill him, but didn't have the weapons so I settled for just stabbing him with a rock." She wasn't proud of the prehistoric method but at the time she had no choice, "I hurt him, but I had to pay the price for what I did. Most of the claw marks were on my sides, thankfully, and a few times he reached my chest." She lightly touched the bandages over her breast. If not for her ribs he would have easily torn out her heart.

[King Caspian X]

Caspian nodded. "That's true." he told him. "Except that thing isn't my father." he acted disgusted, and almost ashamed that he had nearly believed, or had believed, that their enemy was indeed his own blood. "And there's something else as well." he said. Caspian knew that Susan didn't want to tell him about Lucy, and she shouldn't have to. But the father at least needed to know. "Your daughter-" he was stopped as Len. came into the room.

"Hi Len." Caspian said, thankful that she had come in when she did. He could have at least a few moments to gather his thoughts and form what he had to say to Susan's father. "They're both doing fine. Sit down." Caspian said, pointing to one of the chairs that she could bring over and join the conversation if she pleased.